I've Just Been Served a Section 21 Notice. How Much Mortgage Can I Get?

Last Thursday (30th April 2026) was the last day a landlord in England could legally serve a Section 21 "no fault" eviction notice. From 1 May they no longer exist.

Which means if a notice landed on your doormat last week, you're one of potentially thousands of tenants across England sitting there right now wondering what your options are.

The most common question we're hearing this week is a simple one:

Could I actually get a mortgage and buy somewhere instead?

Here's the straight answer…

How much could you borrow?

Most lenders start at 4 to 4.5 times your annual income.

So if you earn £35,000 a year you're looking at somewhere between £140,000 and £157,500 as a rough starting point. If you're buying with a partner, lenders will typically use your combined income - two salaries of £30,000 each gives you £60,000 combined, and suddenly you're potentially looking at borrowing up to £270,000.

But it doesn't stop there. Several lenders (iincluding Nationwide, Barclays, HSBC and NatWest) currently offer income multiples of up to 5, 5.5 or even 6.5 times salary for eligible applicants. These higher multiples are typically available to first time buyers, higher earners or certain professions, and usually require a strong credit profile.

Nationwide's Helping Hand mortgage for example is specifically designed for first time buyers and can lend up to 6 times income in the right circumstances.

So while 4 to 4.5 times is the standard starting point, the real number for your situation could be meaningfully higher depending on your profile.

I've Just Been Served a Section 21 Notice. How Much Mortgage Can I Get?

What else do lenders look at?

Income is just the starting point. Lenders will also look at:

Your deposit - the typical minimum is 5% of the purchase price. On a £180,000 property on the Wirral that's £9,000. On a £220,000 property it's £11,000. If you've been renting and saving, it might be closer than you think.

👉 How Much Deposit Do You Need to Buy a House on the Wirral in 2026?

But 5% isn't always the minimum. In some circumstances it's possible to buy with less, OR even without a traditional cash deposit at all. If you're renting from a landlord who's selling, there's a specific route worth knowing about called a concessionary purchase, where the discount on the property can sometimes act in place of a deposit.

👉 Can You Buy the Home You're Renting? Understanding Concessionary Purchases in 2026

Your outgoings - credit cards, car finance, childcare, loans. What you spend each month affects how much a lender will let you borrow, not just what you earn.

Your credit history - missed payments and defaults matter, but one or two historic issues don't automatically rule you out. It depends on the lender and when they happened.

The honest truth is that two people with identical salaries can get very different mortgage offers depending on everything else in the picture. Which is why a generic calculator can only ever give you a rough idea.

How quickly could you find out where you stand?

Faster than you might think.

An Agreement in Principle (which confirms what you can borrow and gives you credibility with estate agents) can typically be arranged within 24 to 48 hours once we've got the right information from you.

That's not a full mortgage offer. But it's enough to start viewing properties and making offers seriously. And the full process from application to completion typically takes 12 to 16 weeks.

Given your Section 21 notice gives you a minimum of two months before you need to leave, buying within your notice period is genuinely achievable for some people if they move quickly.

What if the numbers don't stack up yet?

Then at least you know. And you know exactly what you need to work towards - whether that's saving a bigger deposit, clearing a credit card or waiting until a default drops off your file.

That conversation costs nothing and often takes les than an hour. It's worth having now rather than in six months when you're under more pressure.

On the Wirral specifically

Property prices across the Wirral vary significantly. A two bedroom terrace in Birkenhead looks very different to a semi in Heswall or West Kirby. What you can realistically buy depends heavily on what you're looking for and where, which is why a conversation based on your specific situation is always more useful than a national average.

The bottom line

A Section 21 notice is stressful. But for some people it's also the moment they realise buying might actually be on the table.

It might not be right for you. But it's worth finding out - and right now, while you've still got time.

Book a free chat - no pressure, just a straight answer →

⚠️ Important information This article is for general information only and does not constitute financial or legal advice. If you've received a Section 21 notice and need guidance on your rights as a tenant, contact Shelter or speak to a solicitor. Mortgage lending is subject to status, affordability and individual lender criteria. Figures used are illustrative only.

Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage